• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.309-316
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• 2022

In 2011, the 4^th industrial revolution officially occurred and developed in most countries. The fourth industrial revolution has given organizations numerous business opportunities, enabling them to optimize their manufacturing processes, cut costs, and thereby improve their operations. The development of enterprises is a decisive factor in increasing national productivity, thereby improving economic growth and per capita income. Therefore, it is necessary to grasp the digital transformation plan and apply science and technology to domestic enterprises and improve the operational efficiency of the economy. Research on small and medium enterprises in Hanoi, Vietnam, which is considered a successful country in economic development and digital transformation and has become a middle-income economy and a highly open economy, the research results suggest that the ability to apply technology in businesses is capable of improving corporate financial performance. The choice of capital structure favoring debt has a negative effect on the financial performance of the enterprise; that is, enterprises in Vietnam should limit the choice of financing investment projects with debt, on the contrary, enterprises should choose to finance with equity. Finally, the study also discusses managerial implications for improving business performance in the context of the rapidly evolving 4.0 technology revolution.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.236-252
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• 1994

This survey was accomplished to investigate the patterns of vitamin/mineral supplements usage in the middle-aged. Eight hundred seventy two persons of middle age were chosen from various cities and rural communities in Korea. In this study, those factors affecting vitamin/mineral supplements consumption, and usage patterns were examined. In addition, vitamin and mineral intakes through supplements were calculated, and then compared with RDA. As a result, vitamin/mineral supplements were taken by 40.8% of subjects. The higher the age, education level, family income and socioeconomic status were, the higher the percentage of supplements consumption was. City-dewellers used them more often than rural-dewellers. And vitamin/mineral supplements were taken frequently in subjects who perceived their health as poor, and concerned much about health. Illness and climacteric symptoms were also related with elevated usage. However, nutritional knowledge and food habit did not affect supplements consumption. Users mostly received information about supplements from TV/radio/newspapers, of family/friends. One of the mainly cited reasons for taking supplements, next to ' to give energy', was 'to be healthier'. The four most favored supplements, in ranking order, were vitamin B-complex, vitamin E, vitamin A and Ca. Most vitamin and mineral intakes through supplements were much greater than RDA except Ca. Especially, vitamin B1 intake was the highest as 49.6$\pm$34.9 times of RDA. In conclusion, vitamin/mineral supplements used by the middle-aged in Korea was as high as those of western countries. Supplements consumption seemed to be related with affluence, poor health status, and high level of health consiousness. And supplements tended to be taken for health promotion irrespective of scientific background. Most vitamin and mineral intakes by supplements were exceeded RDA, and their intake ranges were very wide. Thus some subjects should give attention to the potential harms of megadose.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.109-120
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• 2016

Conventional treatment techniques cannot meet the stringent modern water quality regulations emanating from the need to provide high quality drinking water. Therefore, a number of studies have suggested low pressure membrane filtration as a worthwhile alternative. However, a major constraint to the extensive use of this technology in low and middle income countries is the high operating and maintenance costs caused by the inherent predisposition to membrane fouling. Notwithstanding, pretreatment of feed water using techniques such as coagulation, adsorption, oxidation and bio-filtration is believed to control fouling. In this review paper, the existing scientific knowledge on membrane fouling and pretreatment techniques for controlling fouling in low pressure membranes is analyzed with the aim of providing new and valuable insights into such techniques, as well as unveiling crucial issues noteworthy for further studies. Among the techniques reviewed, coagulation was observed to be the most cost-effective and will remain the most dominant in the coming years. Although oxidants and magnetic ion exchange resins can also control fouling, the propensity of oxidants to form health treating precursors and the high economic implications of magnetic ion exchange resins will hinder their adoption in developing countries.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2017

There has been a pronounced increase in research and development (R&D) expenditure in Singapore over the last two decades, with government spending accounting for a sizeable share. This increase has been spurred by public policy emphasis on research and innovation as engines of economic growth. This paper analyses the impact of R&D on economic performance in Singapore from 1978 to 2012 through the use of time series analysis. The Cobb-Douglas based analysis shows a long-run equilibrium relationship between Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and R&D investments. We found that the short-run productivity of R&D in Singapore is comparable to smaller advanced economies in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). However, in terms of long-run R&D productivity, Singapore lags slightly behind the smaller OECD nations and far behind the G7 countries. This suggests leakage of value capture and low absorptive capacity in local firms. Possibility of productivity improvements induced by policy changes in the 1990s was considered, but no evidence of significant structural breaks was found. Lastly, Granger causality analysis reveals that public sector R&D augments private sector R&D capital, thus playing an important role in generating externalities and spillover effects. Policy implications and lessons for other middle-income countries are discussed.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2023

Purpose: Developmental disabilities (DDs) are a global childhood problem whose prevalence is rising, with a disproportionate impact on individuals in low-and middle-income countries. However, data on the prevalence of DDs in the Arab world are limited. This review highlights what is currently known about the prevalence and risk factors of DDs in preschool children in the Arab world. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched for publications on DDs among preschool children in the Arab world. Only 14 studies were identified in the literature, from 12 Arab countries. Results: The overall estimated prevalence of DDs among preschool children in the Arab world is 27.5%. An analysis of risk factors for DDs showed that child-related, maternal, and family-related factors account for a significant cumulative risk of developing DDs in preschool children. Maternal factors, such as antenatal and perinatal complications, were the most common risk factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of DDs among preschoolers is significantly high in the Arab world, which emphasizes the importance of the early detection and diagnosis of DD, as well as its associated risk factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.381-386
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• 2016

Background: Bladder cancer is an international public health problem. It is the ninth most common cancer and the fourteenth leading cause of death due to cancer worldwide. Given aging populations, the incidence of this cancer is rising. Information on the incidence and mortality of the disease, and their relationship with level of economic development is essential for better planning. The aim of the study was to investigate bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates, and their relationship with the the Human Development Index (HDI) in the world. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from incidence and mortality rates presented by GLOBOCAN in 2012. Data on HDI and its components were extracted from the global bank site. The number and standardized incidence and mortality rates were reported by regions and the distribution of the disease were drawn in the world. For data analysis, the relationship between incidence and death rates, and HDI and its components was measured using correlation coefficients and SPSS software. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: In 2012, 429,793 bladder cancer cases and 165,084 bladder death cases occurred in the world. Five countries that had the highest age-standardized incidence were Belgium 17.5 per 100,000, Lebanon 16.6/100,000, Malta 15.8/100,000, Turkey 15.2/100,000, and Denmark 14.4/100,000. Five countries that had the highest age-standardized death rates were Turkey 6.6 per 100,000, Egypt 6.5/100,000, Iraq 6.3/100,000, Lebanon 6.3/100,000, and Mali 5.2/100,000. There was a positive linear relationship between the standardized incidence rate and HDI (r=0.653, P<0.001), so that there was a positive correlation between the standardized incidence rate with life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, and the level of income per person of population. A positive linear relationship was also noted between the standardized mortality rate and HDI (r=0.308, P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the standardized mortality rate with life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, and the level of income per person of population. Conclusions: The incidence of bladder cancer in developed countries and parts of Africa was higher, while the highest mortality rate was observed in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. The program for better treatment in developing countries to reduce mortality from the cancer and more detaiuled studies on the etiology of are essential.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.7-10
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• 2020

In this paper, a study was conducted to find main factorsto Pima Indians Diabetes based on machine learning. Diabetes is a type of metabolic disease such as insufficient secretion of insulin or inability to function normally and is characterized by a high blood glucose concentration. According to a situation report from WHO(World Health Organization), Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. And also about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.6 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. Both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades. Therefore, in this study, we used Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree, and correlation analysisto discover three important factorsthat predict Pima Indians diabetes with 70% accuracy. Applying the results suggested in this paper, doctors can quickly diagnose potential Pima Indians diabetics and prevent Pima Indians diabetes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3173-3177
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• 2016

Background: The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in Lebanon provides cancer drugs free of charge for uninsured patients who account for more than half the total case-load. Other categories of cancer care are subsidized under more stringent eligibility criteria. MOPH's large database offers an excellent opportunity to analyze the cost of cancer treatment in Lebanon. Materials and Methods: Using utilization and spending data accumulated at MOPH during 2008-2013, the cost to the public budget of cancer drugs was assessed per case and per drug type. Results: The average annual cost of cancer drugs was 6,475$ per patient. Total cancer drug costs were highest for breast cancer, followed by chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), which together represented 74% of total MOPH cancer drug expenditure. The annual average cancer drug cost per case was highest for CML ($31,037), followed by NHL ($11,566). Trastuzumab represented 26% and Imatinib 15% of total MOPH cancer drug expenditure over six years. Conclusions: Sustained increase in cancer drug cost threatens the sustainability of MOPH coverage, so crucial for socially vulnerable citizens. To enhance the bargaining position with pharmaceutical firms for drug cost containment in a small market like Lebanon, drug price comparisons with neighboring countries which have already obtained lower prices may succeed in lowering drug costs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2017

Objectives: As in many low-income and middle-income countries, out-of-pocket (OOP) payments by patients or their families are a key healthcare financing mechanism in Bangladesh that leads to economic burdens for households. The objective of this study was to identify whether and to what extent socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors of the population had an impact on OOP expenditures in Bangladesh. Methods: A total of 12 400 patients who had paid to receive any type of healthcare services within the previous 30 days were analyzed from the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey data, 2010. We employed regression analysis for identify factors influencing OOP health expenditures using the ordinary least square method. Results: The mean total OOP healthcare expenditures was US dollar (USD) 27.66; while, the cost of medicines (USD 16.98) was the highest cost driver (61% of total OOP healthcare expenditure). In addition, this study identified age, sex, marital status, place of residence, and family wealth as significant factors associated with higher OOP healthcare expenditures. In contrary, unemployment and not receiving financial social benefits were inversely associated with OOP expenditures. Conclusions: The findings of this study can help decision-makers by clarifying the determinants of OOP, discussing the mechanisms driving these determinants, and there by underscoring the need to develop policy options for building stronger financial protection mechanisms. The government should consider devoting more resources to providing free or subsidized care. In parallel with government action, the development of other prudential and sustainable risk-pooling mechanisms may help attract enthusiastic subscribers to community-based health insurance schemes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2023

Purpose : Although Korea's health insurance system and access to medical care are well established compared to other countries, the rate of non-fulfillment of dental treatment is high. Medical use rates can be affected by economic characteristics, individual heatlh condtions, health concerns, and health behaviors. This study was implemented to investigate the effect of the middle-aged elderly people's family living together on the dental examination rate and to use it as basic data for program development, research, and poicies to promote oral health. Methods : Raw data from the 7th national health and nutrition survey conducted by the Korea centers for disease control and prevention (2016~2018) were used and analyzed using SPSS 21.0 Version (IBM, United States). Results : As a result of the study family types accroding to general characteristics, the more women are (p<.001), the higther the age (p<.001), the lower the hosehold income level (p<.001), the lower the educational background (p<.001), the more people who live in Eup-Myeon (p<.001) It was fouend that the rate of living alone was high. The dental examination rate according to general characteristics was related to age (p<.001), income (p<.001), and educational background (p<.001), and the higher the examination rate was in the same (p<.001), and the higher the family living together (p<.001). Factors influencing whether or not dental treatment was not performed were in the following order: household income (p<.001), age (p=.001), and family type (p=.017). Conclusion : The above results confirmed the relationship between family membership and dental examination rates, and measures such as the development and operation of participatory programs to improve public oral health by resolving medical inequality and enhancing health equity, and it is believed that the development of professional manpower and the operation of education and programs for professionals are necessary.